| Beginning in the 1920s, Florida was a magnet for | | | | enjoyed tremendous growth. |
| people looking for an ideal place to call home. For | | | | However, Florida remains the dream locale for |
| example, senior citizens and retired persons | | | | many, many people heading towards retirement |
| started to move to Florida in ever increasing | | | | and for men and women who want to spend |
| numbers. The number of retired men and women | | | | winter in a relaxing environment. Additionally, a |
| that flocked to Florida became a proverbial flood | | | | most concerted effort is being made to stabilize |
| after World War II. | | | | and enhance the Florida real estate market. |
| Beyond senior citizens, there are over a million | | | | First of all, there are a number of important |
| so-called Snow Birds that spend part of the year | | | | efforts being made to lessen the property tax |
| in the Sunshine State. These people spend the | | | | burden on people who purchase residences in the |
| summer months in other locales. | | | | State. Indeed, there are some constitutional |
| Over the course of the past ten years, Florida | | | | amendments that have been proposed and that |
| has started to experience some head on | | | | are likely to be enacted that should provide |
| competition in regard to the recruitment of retired | | | | significant property tax relief to residents. |
| individuals and Snow Birds alike. A number of | | | | In addition, more generalized efforts are being |
| other states have developed intense programs to | | | | made to stabilize and improve the Florida real |
| draw retired men and women to their states as | | | | estate market more broadly. As with other |
| permanent residents and have striven to attract | | | | states across the country, the Florida real estate |
| Snow Birds in their own right. | | | | market has taken some hits in recent years. |
| For example, Arizona has been on the forefront | | | | Finally, a great deal of effort is being spent on |
| of developing a concerted campaign to attract | | | | developing a system to improve the availability of |
| both retired persons and Snow Birds into its | | | | more affordable housing. Due to the high dollar |
| borders over the course of the past decade. | | | | damages caused by natural disasters in Florida |
| Indeed, the Phoenix-Scottsdale metro-plex is the | | | | (and in some other Gulf States) the cost of |
| fastest growing community in all of the United | | | | homeowners insurance actually has made |
| States. | | | | homeownership an impossibility for some men and |
| In addition, many other Southern states have | | | | women today. |
| become residential destinations for an increasing | | | | In the end, experts who understand the Florida |
| number of retirees and Snow Birds alike. For | | | | real estate market tend to agree that |
| example, a growing number of men and women | | | | improvement will be seen in the market in 2008 |
| who might otherwise have landed in Florida are | | | | and beyond. Because direct action is being taken |
| settling instead in the Carolinas, Georgia and | | | | to enhance the state of the Florida real estate |
| Tennessee. There are other retiree residential | | | | market, most predict that the Sunshine State will |
| destinations such as Branson, Missouri, that have | | | | remain a residential goal for many people. |